Lidl's loyalty card becomes less generous, shoppers say
Under the changed system customers collect points rather than reward coupons, with £1 spent equalling one point.
www.bbc.comHere’s the latest on Lidl Plus as of May 2026.
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What’s changing: Lidl is overhauling its loyalty program. The old Coupon Plus rewards are being replaced with a points-based system. Under the new structure, you earn 1 point for every £1 spent, and points can be redeemed for money-off coupons or “freebie” items via a Rewards Marketplace. The overhaul also introduces occasional Extra Points promotions on select items. This shift marks a move away from fixed monthly thresholds toward a continuous points accrual model. [Sources: Mirror article on the major shake-up, MoneySavingExpert summary, BBC coverage].[1][2][6]
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Why it matters for shoppers: Many customers are reporting that the new points system requires larger cumulative spend to unlock the same level of savings they received under Coupon Plus. The initial impression is mixed: some benefits persist (personalized coupons/offers), but the per-pound value of rewards and the relative ease of earning discounts have changed. If you relied on the old thresholds, you may need to adjust expectations and spending patterns. [MoneySavingExpert][BBC coverage].[2][6]
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Practical tips to navigate the update:
- Check the Lidl Plus app’s Rewards Marketplace regularly to see available point-based rewards and any Extra Points promos.
- Track your point balance and understand the conversion rate for different rewards (e.g., how many points for a particular item or coupon).
- Take advantage of any limited-time double-point offers on fruits or other categories to accelerate earning.
- If you had active coupons before the launch, verify their redemption window in the app to avoid losing them. [mirror coverage][MoneySavingExpert][BBC].[3][1][2]
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Where to read more (recent reporting):
- Mirror: “Lidl announces major loyalty scheme shake-up with new points system” (May 5, 2026).[1]
- MoneySavingExpert: “Lidl shopper? You now need to earn points to get 'freebies'” (May 4, 2026).[2]
- BBC: “Lidl's loyalty card becomes less generous, shoppers say” (May 5, 2026).[6]
If you’d like, I can pull quotes or summarize the key point-by-point changes from each article, or help you compare the old Coupon Plus rewards to the new Lidl Plus Points in a quick pros/cons list.